Panel backs FCC nominations, sends to Senate

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Senate Commerce Committee on Tuesday backed President Barack Obama's two nominations to the Federal Communications Commission.

In a voice vote, the committee sent the nominations of Mignon Clyburn, a Democrat, and Meredith Attwell Baker, a Republican, to the full Senate for consideration.

At a nomination hearing last week, Clyburn and Baker said they were committed to regulatory policies that would help consumers and promote competition in the telecommunications industry.

Clyburn and Baker would fill two vacancies on the five-member agency that is crafting a plan on how to bring Internet access to rural parts of the United States.

Clyburn is the daughter of House of Representatives Majority Whip James Clyburn, a South Carolina Democrat.

Baker is a former Commerce Department official who oversaw the $40 coupon program for converter boxes during the digital television transition that was completed in June.

The FCC is chaired by Julius Genachowski, a former telecommunications industry executive who -- along with Republican Robert McDowell -- were approved by the Senate in June. Former Acting Chairman Michael Copps is the other Democrat on the commission.

The full Senate could approve their nominations later this week.